Light microscope and method of controlling the same

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a light microscope is provided. The light microscope includes a scanning device for directing an illumination pattern onto a sample to be imaged, the scanning device being movable for shifting the illumination pattern to cover sections of the sample successively one after another, wherein for each section of the sample, the scanning device is configured to direct the illumination pattern onto the section for illuminating the section and to receive a return light from the section of the sample illuminated by the illumination pattern, a modulator arrangement configured to modulate a light intensity distribution of the illumination pattern within a focal plane on the sample corresponding to the section of the sample, as a function of time, and a detector arrangement for optically coupling the return light from each section to a detector, wherein the detector arrangement is configured to optically couple the respective return lights to respective portions of the detector successively for generating an image of the sample on the detector, wherein a respective portion of the detector corresponds to a respective section of the sample.

1 . A light microscope comprising:
 a scanning device for directing an illumination pattern onto a sample to be imaged, the scanning device being movable for shifting the illumination pattern to cover sections of the sample successively one after another, wherein for each section of the sample, the scanning device is configured to direct the illumination pattern onto the section for illuminating the section and to receive a return light from the section of the sample illuminated by the illumination pattern;   a modulator arrangement configured to modulate a light intensity distribution of the illumination pattern within a focal plane on the sample corresponding to the section of the sample, as a function of time; and   a detector arrangement for optically coupling the return light from each section to a detector, wherein the detector arrangement is configured to optically couple the respective return lights to respective portions of the detector successively for generating an image of the sample on the detector, wherein a respective portion of the detector corresponds to a respective section of the sample.   
     
     
         2 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the illumination pattern comprises one or more of at least one of a spot, a pixel or a line. 
     
     
         3 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the detector arrangement comprises the detector. 
     
     
         4 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the detector is movable. 
     
     
         5 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a motion of the scanning device is synchronized with the detector. 
     
     
         6 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the detector comprises a camera capable of receiving the respective return lights on respective portions of the camera for generating a two-dimensional image of the sample. 
     
     
         7 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the detector arrangement comprises another scanning device for receiving the respective return lights, the other scanning device being movable to direct the respective return lights onto the respective portions of the detector to generate the image of the sample. 
     
     
         8 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a detection aperture arranged between the scanning device and the detector arrangement, for rejecting at least some lights originating from parts of the sample free from illumination by the illumination pattern. 
     
     
         9 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a filter for filtering the respective return lights. 
     
     
         10 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising focusing optics for directing and focusing the illumination pattern onto the focal plane on the sample corresponding to the section of the sample. 
     
     
         11 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising shaping optics for receiving a light and shaping the light into an array of incident light points to provide the illumination pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising shaping optics for receiving a light and shaping the light into a line-like form to provide the illumination pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a light director arranged between the scanning device and the detector arrangement, for directing the respective return lights towards the detector arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the modulator arrangement comprises:
 a temporal phase modulator configured to receive a light and to decompose the light into two orthogonally polarized components and thereafter to introduce a phase difference between the two orthogonally polarized components; and   a spatial phase modulator optically coupled to the temporal phase modulator to receive the two orthogonally polarized components, the spatial phase modulator configured to spatially separate the two orthogonally polarized components and thereafter to convert the two orthogonally polarized components into one polarization state.   
     
     
         15 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the temporal phase modulator comprises:
 a half-wave plate configured to decompose the light into the two orthogonally polarized components; and   an electro-optic modulator configured to introduce the phase difference between the two orthogonally polarized components.   
     
     
         16 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the spatial phase modulator comprises:
 a spatial polarizer configured to spatially separate the two orthogonally polarized components; and 
 a polarization analyzer configured to convert the two orthogonally polarized components into the one polarization state. 
   
     
     
         17 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the spatial polarizer comprises:
 a first region for selectively blocking one of the two orthogonally polarized components; and   a second region for selectively blocking the other of the two orthogonally polarized components.   
     
     
         18 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the detector arrangement comprises a processor configured to generate respective optically sectioned images of the sample corresponding to the respective sections of the sample illuminated by the illumination pattern, wherein the processor is configured to demodulate the image generated by the detector for generating the respective optically sectioned images. 
     
     
         19 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein, for demodulating the image, the processor is configured to retrieve an amplitude of an AC component from each of the respective return lights. 
     
     
         20 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a light source assembly configured to provide a light for the illumination pattern. 
     
     
         21 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the light source assembly comprises one or more lasers. 
     
     
         22 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the detector arrangement is configured to optically couple a pixel of the respective section of the sample to a plurality of pixels in the respective portion of the detector. 
     
     
         23 . The light microscope as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a number of pixels covered by the illumination pattern at least substantially corresponds to a square root of a total number of pixels in a field of view of the sample to be imaged. 
     
     
         24 . A method of controlling a light microscope, the method comprising:
 directing an illumination pattern onto a sample to be imaged;   shifting the illumination pattern to cover sections of the sample successively one after another, wherein for each section of the sample, the illumination pattern is directed onto the section for illuminating the section and a return light is received from the section of the sample illuminated by the illumination pattern;   modulating a light intensity distribution of the illumination pattern within a focal plane on the sample corresponding to the section of the sample, as a function of time; and   optically coupling the respective return lights to respective portions of the detector successively for generating an image of the sample on the detector, wherein a respective portion of the detector corresponds to a respective section of the sample.   
     
     
         25 - 46 . (canceled)